1. Technical Field
This invention relates to animal calling systems, more particularly, to a wireless animal calling system for transmitting an animal calling signal during hunting conditions.
2. Prior Art
Throughout history, hunters and outdoorsmen have employed various devices to attract their prey. In particular, devices to mimic the calls of deer, moose, elk, water fowl, bear, turkey, and other wild game have been employed. Animal calls have also been employed by animal enthusiasts, wildlife photographers, recreational outdoorsmen and outdoor researchers in non-consumptive wildlife activities.
Rattling horns have been used to call wild game, for example deer. These rattling horns have traditionally been both large and small in size. Large rattling horns have the advantage of producing calls of greater volume, and thus are able to travel long distances and/or penetrate thick cover. However, these large horns are difficult to transport due to their size and bulkiness. Often hunters employ a string or strap tied around the horn and slung over their head, thereby offering the potential for entanglement as the hunter travels through brush or woods. Additionally, these large horns present a safety risk in that other hunters may see the movement of the horn and shoot at the moving horn without first ascertaining that the horn is attached to a hunter and not wild game. Smaller horns have also been employed to combat the size and bulkiness problems. However, smaller horns do not produce the volume of larger horns, therefore, the sound does not travel as well. Smaller horns are also often transported using a string or strap slung over the head presenting the same potential for entanglement.
Other methods employed to call wild game have included rattling bags which are small bags filled with bone chips or other hard material, grunt calls which are mouth operated and employ air and/or grunt sounds blown through the device, and treadle operated sounding devices. Grunt calls use a reed to produce their sound and must be disassembled to adjust a rubber O-ring in order to vary the sound. Treadle operated sounding devices require the hunter to step on a treadle, and thus restricts the hunters movement. Rattling bags, by design, require excessive movement, which may alert the prey. After repeated use of a mouth call on a cold day, the hunter's breath condenses in the call tubing or unit, creating moisture and rendering the call useless. Treadle operated sounding devices not only require excessive movement, they restrict the mobility of the hunter. Bow hunters have employed techniques such as rattling an aluminum arrow against the wooden riser of the bow to call their intended prey. Today, however, the majority of compound bows are manufactured entirely from aluminum, composite or other lightweight metal.
A disadvantage of the aforementioned methods of calling prey is that they are very technique sensitive. As a hunter's skill at shaking, rattling, grunting, or blowing improves, his ability to successfully call and attract his prey increases. Both novice hunter and expert often have difficulty creating realistic sounds and are frustrated in their attempt to call the prey. Additionally, all of these mechanical calls require significant movement on the part of the hunter and this movement often frightens away the prey.
One prior art example shows an electronic game caller comprising a means for receiving a power source in conductive connection with a digital recording circuit. The digital recording circuit is in conductive connection with at least one digital vocalization storage medium. The digital vocalization storage medium is in conductive connection with a user programmable microcircuit, wherein the programmable microcircuit is encoded with instructions for a predetermined sequence of playback and a predetermined pitch, tempo and volume. The programmable microcircuit is in conductive connection with a digital playback circuit.
The digital playback circuit is in conductive connection with at least one digital playback altering circuit. The digital playback altering circuits are in conductive connection with a first amplifier in conductive connection with a first speaker. A transmitter is in conductive connection with the digital playback circuit. A remote receiver is in conductive connection with a second amplifier in conductive connection with a second speaker and a means for receiving a second power source. At least one connected input control is provided. In other, economy forms, any or all of the digital recording circuit, programmable circuit, or remote receiver and second speaker are omitted. Unfortunately, this example does not provide a means for rendering game calls on modern electronic media, via an included selectively operable remote device.
Another prior art example shows an apparatus for use in hunting wild game animals and waterfowl, and more particularly to a weapon mounted wild animal game caller. This weapon mounted wild animal game caller finds particular application in attracting deer. It may be conveniently mounted and attached to an archery bow or to a hunting firearm. The game caller emits a grunting sound which is known to attract game animals, such as deer. The use of the grunter is very desirable for short range hunting making it the choice for many bow hunters. The activation of sound is accomplished by a novel air bladder that is filled with a resilient filamentous polyester type fiber.
When mounted to an archers bow, it is easily operated with the hand even with a fully drawn bow. In an alternative embodiment, the game caller uses an electronic recording system to store a plurality of prerecorded calls, such as deer, geese, duck and the like. The recording media may be either a magnetic tape recorder or a digital synthesizer having a plurality of game calls that are stored in digital memory. The entire game calling system can be worn on one's belt and activated silently by depressing a bow mounted or stock mounted switch. Unfortunately, this example does not provide a means of remotely calling an animal from a location other than that of the hunter.
Accordingly, a need remains for a wireless animal calling system in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a system that is convenient and easy to use, is lightweight yet durable in design and transmits an animal calling signal during hunting conditions. Such a system conveniently allows a hunter to position the system in one location while taking an advantageous hunting position in another location. The system effectively allows a hunter to selectively change the game call from such a location through the use of a remote device, thus allowing a hunter to remain stationary during hunting conditions, and reducing the possibility of scaring away the intended prey. The system is simple to operate, is portable and is inexpensive. The system can be adapted for use with many different types of game.